A. This world desperately needs
to know Jesus.B. To know Him, we must see Him as both
human and divine.C. We want to look at the divine side of
Jesus; to see Him in His divine roles.

Proposition: Truly to understand
Jesus, we must recognize His divine roles.

I. CHRIST IS OUR REDEEMER, v. 14

A. He has brought us into His kingdom.B. He has brought us out of the dominion
of darkness.C. He has granted us forgiveness.

II. CHRIST IS OUR CREATOR, vs. 15-17

A. He is the image of God.B. All things were made by Him.C. All things were made for Him.D. All authority is His.

III. CHRIST IS OUR RECONCILER, vs. 19-22

A. God and man were separated.B. Sin was the cause.C. The cross was the cure.D. Peace is the prospect.

Conclusion: What a Savior we
worship! What a life He offers!
Because Nazareth means lily, the new Church
of the Annunciation in Nazareth has a steeple that resembles a lily.
But it is an upside down lily, its open mouth pointing downward to suggest
God's pouring out of himself to man. That is just what happened when
Christ came. God's richest blessings were poured out upon us all.

Recently, a man in Danbury, Connecticut, defended
himself in a murder case on the grounds that he was possessed by demons.
That kind of defense was ruled inadmissable! It is true that evil
has great power and influence, but it is also true that we have freedom
of choice. We decide to come under the influence of evil or under
the influence of Christ. We live in a dark world - dark with temptation,
danger, anxiety, and fear. But we have the privilege of walking in
the light.

When General Franco was the dictator of Spain, he
often went to the palace to read his proclamations from the throne room.
But he always stood beside the throne. He never sat on the throne
of Spain. Christ, however, does not hesitate to occupy the throne
at God's right hand nor to occupy His place as Head of His spiritual kingdom,
the church.

Have you ever seen a child who was learning to walk
reach up and take the hand of a parent? Have you seen him then, wanting
more stability, reach up and take the hand of the other parent? It
almost looks as if the child is drawing the parents together, as many a
child has, indeed, done. Have you ever seen a friend trying to reconcile
two enemies? He puts his hand on one arm of each and seems almost
imperceptibly to draw them closer together. Have you ever seen the
father of the bride take the hand of his daughter and the hand of the groom
and draw them together? That is what Christ has done. He did
it for Jew and Gentile. He did it for slave and master. He
did it for male and female. He did it for man and God!

Constantine thought he had the original crown of
thorns. He gave it to the Venetians as collateral for a loan!
It was later bought by Louis IX of France. He built Paris lovely
cathedral of Saint Chapelle to house it and other relics he had purchased.
Think of it! The crown of thorns as collateral for a loan!
But wait a minute. The cross was more than collateral for our debt
of sin. It paid the debt in full!

In Star Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi meets Darth Vader.
He says, "Now you must kill me, but know that in my death, I will defeat
you." That is what Christ says to evil. "In my death, I will defeat
you!" That is what He said to the vested interests that put Him to
death: "In my death, I will defeat you!"

The Russian Orthodox church will not allow statues;
but holy pictures, or icons, are acceptable. The most famous is the
Virgin of Vladimir. Both Ivan the Terrible and Nicholas II carried
it into battle. They believed they could not be defeated if the picture
were taken to the battlefield. It is something quite different that
we have in mind when we sing:
Onward, Christian soldiers
Marching as to war;
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.